Distributing mechanism for linecasting machines



1965 H. KLEPPER ETAL ,2

DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR LINEGASTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 14. 1963 .M m mmllvl 'l kl]? B C V INVENTORS. HERBERT KLEPPER WILLIAM B A BB 07"!" United States Patent 3,225,908 DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR LINECASTING MACHINES Herbert Klepper, Brooklyn, and William B. Abbott,

Pieasantville, N.Y., assignors to Eltra Corporation, a

corporation of New York Filed Nov. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 323,627 4 Claims. (Cl. 19933) This invention relates to linecasting machines in which circulating matrices are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print and then assembled in line, the composed line transferred to the face of a mold, a slug cast against the composed matrices, and the matrices thereafter returned through a distributing mechanism to the magazine channels: from which they started. More particularly the present invention relates to that part of the distributing mechanism where the matrices are separated and presented, one by one, to the distributing screws.

In the distributing mechanism above referred to, a second elevator carries the line of matrices upwardly from a transfer channel to the distributor beam where a distributor shifter slides the matrices from the second elevator bar into the distributor box. In the distributor box, the matrices are lifted, one by one, by a reciprocating lift finger into the threads of the overlaying distributor screws. The screws convey the matrices horizontally as they are supported by the toothed distributor bar. As a matrix reaches its assigned position along the bar it drops therefrom and falls into the appropriate magazine channel.

The reciprocating lift finger is conventionally actuated by a cam carried on a distributor screw shaft so that the rate at which matrices are presented to the distributor screws is related to the speed at which the screws rotate. Ordinarily matrices are presented to successive turns of the screws to facilitate their rapid return to the storage magazines. As machine operating speeds increase, accompanied by increased distributor screw speeds, problems arise when a following matrix on the distributor bar strikes a preceding matrix that has been released from the distributor bar but has not fallen clear of the path of the rapidly oncoming matrix. This condition is most prevalent when a relatively wide matrix is released from the distributor bar since it is the one most likely to be struck by the oncoming matrix. When this does occur, the struck matrix does not properly enter the magazine channel entrance and eventually interference with the distribution of matrices results.

It is, accordingly, the object of the present invention to improve the distribution of matrices by minimizing the likelihood of certain matrices, after their release from the distributor bar, being struck by the following oncoming matrix.

In carrying out the invention the conventional lift finger and operating cam are provided for separating the matrices in the distributor box prior to their distribution and return to their respective magazine channels. However, the cam is modified to move the lift finger upwardly in stages, first a slight lift and then the main lift that presents a matrix to the distributing screws. The lift finger is shaped so that it can engage a matrix only when at its lowest position. Thus, if the finger is raised above this position before a matrix reaches the lift station, the side of the matrix will contact the finger which will then slide along the matrix as it undergoes its main lift. In effect, the lift will be idle. This result follows selectively after the presentation of a relatively wide matrix to the distributing screws. Since the matrix is relatively wide it prevents the next matrix from reaching the lift station 3,225,908 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 Ice until after the lift finger cam has raised the lift finger sufficiently to prevent its lifting engagement with the next matrix. By properly contouring the lift finger cam the idle lift finger stroke can be provided after presentment to the distributing screws of a matrix of any desired thickness. The result of this idle lift stroke is to separate a relatively wide matrix from the next following matrix by twice the normal distance, e.g., two distributor screw turns instead of one, and thereby obviate the likelihood of the second matrix striking the first matrix as the latter falls free of the distributor bar.

Features and advantages of this invention may be gained from the foregoing and from the description of a preferred embodiment thereof which follows.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a distributing mechanism, partly broken away, showing the improvements applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is a detail, showing the relation of parts as a matrix is lifted into the distributing screws;

FIG. 3 is a detail, showing the relation of parts, to wit, the slight lift stroke after the presentation of a thick matrix; and

FIG. 4 is an illustrative development of the end cam of the present invention.

In FIG. 1 of the drawings there is shown a distributor mechanism 10 embodying the present invention. The apparatus selected has a distributor bar 11 fixed to the machine frame provided with the well known combination teeth 12 arranged thereon. A set of conventional continuously rotating distributor screws 13 and 14 is provided to convey matrices along bar 11 until the combination of notches in a given matrix correspond with the cutaway portions of the teeth in bar 11, allowing the matrix to drop into a channel entrance and into the magazine. Screw I3 is as shown mounted in a support portion 15 of the machine frame. Mounted at the remote end of the shaft of screw 13 near portion 15 is a face cam 17, to be described in detail later. A distributor box 18, supported at the receiving end of the bar 11, is so located that a matrix line is transported by the second elevator to a position adjacent this box. The role of box 18 is, of course, to aid in transporting individual matrices 16 from the matrix line to the distributing bar and screws. The box includes a top support member 19 and a bottom spacer piece member 20. Secured to these members by machine screws 21 are front and back plates 22. The top member 19 in addition has means (not shown) fixed to its top face for fastening the box to the machine frame. These means usually take the form of a dovetailing arrangement which allows the box to be readily removed from the machine for inspection or replacement. The top member 19 also has a rectangular shaped groove cut in its lower bottom surface that allows the intermediate bar 24 to be readily secured therein. Bar 24 is triangular in cross section and is formed with the standard type guide teeth or rails which allow the matrix line to be laterally transferred on to bar 24 by a shifter mechanism 25 from the second elevator. This operation takes place just after the second elevator is raised to the position atop the machine adjacent the distributor box. In this position the rails on the elevator are in perfect registry with their corresponding rails on the intermediate bar. Various different type shifter mechanisms can be employed in the transfer operation, and for a detailed disclosure of one such type see US. Patent 3,068,998.

In the distributor box itself matrices are transported along bar 24 until at a position located approximately midway between the vertical ends of the front and back plates 22 the top ears on a matrix run into respective sliding engagement with two support rails 26. Each matrix, however, continues to remain in engagement with the rails of bar 24 until disengaged therefrom at a position relatively closer to the discharge or lift position end of the distributor box. From this point up to the lift position the translating matrices are supported solely by rails 26. It might be appropriate to mention at this point that nowhere in this translating operation does the bottom member 20 sustain or support matrices. The support rails 26 are each formed by the top surface of a fiat metal strip which is fastened to its respective side plate by securing screws 28. The rail comprises three different portions, a lower section which supports a matrix in its move to the lift position and which terminates at this point in a vertical stop shoulder, an upper rail section which allows a matrix to be guided perfectly onto the distributor bar teeth 12, and an intermediate transition section between the lower and the upper rail sections.

In the distributor box, after a matrix in line reaches the lift position, it there awaits presentation to the conveying screws. Presentation is accomplished by a cam actuated finger 30 whose operation is the main subject of this invention and will be described in detail later. The lift finger in its lowest position engages the matrix 16 and lifts it clear of the detaining railstop shoulders. At the same time the matrix is resiliently pushed forward by the matrix line to the inclined intermediate section of the rails Where it is engaged by the aforementioned conveying screws and carried thereby to the top of the upper rail sections and then for a short distance therealong to the distributor bar 11. At this position the upper rails are at such a height so as to insure that the teeth on a matrix 16 align perfectly with the teeth of the distributor bar.

Thus, as so far described, the aforementioned construction and mode of operation is well known and hence only briefly described.

The lifting finger 30 is shouldered or recessed at its upper end is capable of engaging matrices only when positioned at its lowest level. Finger 30 is pivotally mounted at 31 on a lift lever 32. Finger 30 is normally biased by spring 33 into an engaging relation with the side end of the bottom member 20 such that it is located in a vertical position. One end of spring 33 is fastened to the finger and its other to the lever 32. This spring allows finger 30 to be inclined laterally towards the distributor screws by the lead matrix as it engages the inclined section of the support rails. Lever 32 is crank shaped and is hinged to a pin 34 fixed in the plate 22. Also mounted on this pin 34 is a cam lever 35 which is disposed in front of the vertical portion of lever 32. The vertical end of lever 32 is provided with a projecting lug 36 that is located within a hole formed in cam lever 35. A compression spring 37 positioned in housing 38 of lever 35 bears against this lug 36 biasing it into engagement with an adjusting screw 40 also mounted on cam lever 35. These elements are so situated that they cause the cam lever 35 and the matrix lift lever 32 to act as one single lever on which the relative position of the two elements are adjustable with relation to each other by means of screw 40. Sufiice it to say here, as this mechanism is known in the art, that an adjustment of screw 40 will change the lowest position of finger 30 which in turn affects the amount of lift of a matrix in the lead position. A tension spring 41 secured to plate 22 and at its opposite end to a projection on cam lever 35 biases this lever in a counter clockwise sense so that a cam follower 42, mounted on the end of the lever, positively engages face cam 17 secured to the remote end of screw 13.

Lever 35 is so driven by the rotating face cam 17 so as to impart two distinct upward moves to lift finger 30. First a slight lift and then the main stroke which raises the top ears on the lead matrix clear of the stop shoulders on to the inclined rail section] If, however, the lift finger excCufiiS its first lift move before a matrix ad- 4 vances to the lift position, then the finger will contact the outer lead surface of the advancing matrix, as shown in FIG. 3, and the ensuing lift stroke will be idle. This result will follow after the presentation of a thick matrix, for as seen in FIG. 3 the thick matrix prevents the next matrix in line from seating against the stop shoulders for an increased interval long enough for the lift finger to have executed its first upward move. Thus, aftera thick matrix has been presented, the next adjacent matrix will be presented at a longer interval to the following turn of the distributor screws.

The means for operating finger 30 is as aforementioned face cam 17 which is secured to conveying screw 13 and rotated thereby. The contour of this cam has been altered from the standard configuration to allow the'lift finger to reciprocate with the new prescribed two-stage movement. The contour of cam 17 will now be described in relation to the movement of finger 30 and reference may be made to FIG. 4. When follower 42 engages the low dwell A of the said cam, finger 30 will be positioned at its lowest level. As the follower engages section B finger 30 executes its slight lift and finally as the follower remains in contact with section C finger 30 will execute its lift stroke and then return to its lowest level. As aforementioned if the finger has executed its slight lift prior to the lead matrix in line seating at the lift position then the presentation of this matrix to the distributor bar will be delayed one cycle. The thickness of a matrix which will cause the introduction of an idle lift finger stroke between its presentment to the distributor screws and that of the following matrix is determined by the length of the low dwell A. The shorter the dwell the thinner the matrix that will introduce an idle stroke of the lift finger.

It is to be understood that many changes can be made in the disclosed embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and, therefore, the description and drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a typographical machine having a toothed distributor bar, a distributor screw for conveying matrices along said bar, a distributor box, means for shifting matrices into said distributor box, and means for engaging the lower end of matrices in said box and lifting the same one by one from said box into engagement with said distributor screw, said lifting means including a matrix lift member movable from a lower position wherein a matrix is engaged to an upper position wherein the matrix is presented to said distributor screw, the improvement which comprises means for cyclically moving said lift member from a first lower dwell position in which matrices can be engaged to a second intermediate and higher dwell position in which matrices cannot be engaged to a fully raised dwell position in which engaged matrices are presented to said distributor screw and finally back to the first lower position, the arrangement being such that if a matrix is prevented from advancing to its lifting position by the preceding matrix that has already been presented to the distributor screw during the time the lift member is in the lower dwell position, the lift member will undergo an idle stroke.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said moving means is a three level cam operating in timed relationship with the rotation of the distributor screw.

3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein said cam is a face cam mounted on the end of the distributor screw.

4. A distributor mechanism for a typographical linecasting machine comprising a distributor bar, a distributor screw for conveying matrices along said bar, a distributor box, means for shifting matrices into said box, and matrix separating means for lifting said matrices one at a time from said box into engagement with said distributor screw, said separating means comprising a bell crank lever means pivotally mounted on said distributor box, a matrix lift member pivotally supported on said lever means, resilient means for biasing said lift member towards a vertical position, a cam follower mounted on said lever means, and a cam mounted on said distributor screw, and means for biasing said cam follower into engagement with said cam, said cam being a three level cam that moves said lift member from a lower dwell position in which matrices can be engaged to a second intermediate and higher dwell position in which matrices cannot be engaged to a fully raised dwell position in which engaged matrices are presented to said distributor screw and finally back to the first lower position, the arrangement being such that if a matrix is prevented from advancing to its lifting position by the preceding matrix that has already been presented to the distributor screw during the time the lift member is in the lower dwell position, the lift member will undergo an idle stroke.

References Cited by the Examiner EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE HAVING A TOOTHED DISTRIBUTOR BAR, A DISTRIBUTOR SCREW FOR CONVEYING MATRICES ALONG SAID BAR, A DISTRIBUTOR BOX, MEANS FOR SHAFTING MATRICES INTO SAID DISTRIBUTOR BOX, AND MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE LOWER END OF MATRICES IN SAID BOX AND LIFTING THE SAME ONE BY ONE FROM SAID BOX INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DISTRIBUTOR SCREW, SAID LIFTING MEANS INCLUDING A MATRIX LIFT MEMBER MOVABLE FROM A LOWER POSITION WHEREIN A MATRIX IS ENGAGED TO AN UPOPER POSITION WHERE IN THE MATRIX IS PRESENTED TO SID DISTRIBUTOR SCREW, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES MEANS FOR CYCLICALLY MOVING SAID LIFT MEMBER FROM A FIRST LOWER DWELL POSITION IN WHICH MATRICES CAN BE ENGAGED TO A SECOND INTERMEDIATE AND HIGHER DWELL POSITION IN WHICH MATRICES CANNOT BE ENGAGED TO A FULLY RAISED DWELL POSITION IN WHICH ENGAGED MATRICES ARE PRESENTED TO SAID DISTRIBUTOR SCREW AND FINALLY BACK TO THE FIRST LOWER POSITION, THE ARRANGEMENT BEING SUCH THAT IF A MATRIX IS PREVENTED FROM ADVANCING TO ITS LIFTING POSITION BY THE PROCEDING MATRIX THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PRESENTED TO THE DISTRIBUTOR SCREW DURING THE TIME THE LIFT MEMBER IS IN THE LOWER DWELL POSITION, THE LIFT MEMBER WILL UNDERGO AN IDLE STROKE. 